The Winding Road
by mmouse15
Summary: A series of drabbles on the relationship between Ironhide and Ratchet.
1. Chapter 1

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: 10 Excitement

Rating: G

Expected in this one: fluff

Notes: (1) On livejournal, there is a comm called tformers100, that have prompt tables of ten prompts each. I claimed three tables, Emotion, Cybertron, and War and wrote a daily drabble based on those prompts for one month. I'm now posting them here in the order in which they should be read. The header for each 'chapter' will tell you which table and prompt were used and what the rating is for that particular chapter. (2) This is a series on Ironhide and Ratchet and their relationship. This is my OTP, so you may expect some fluff and angst. You may also expect growling.

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><p>Ironhide couldn't take his optics off the proud senator speaking with Optimus in low tones. He'd never expected, after all these vorns, to find the one that could make his spark sing. He'd had lovers, passing affections that had never lasted on his part, but none had ever had this affect on him. He shifted, momentarily uncomfortable in his own armour as the chartreuse mech looked straight at him. They both froze, the flash of spark recognition going straight through them, until the senator forcibly pulled his gaze away. Ironhide admired his resolve. For his part, he couldn't stop looking.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: Frustration

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: growling and implied violence

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><p>Ironhide watched as Starscream came out of Megatron's quarters and flew away. The Lord High Protector came out of his rooms right after his Air Commander and moved to address the assembled military command.<p>

"Anyone following the false Prime, Optimus, is now a criminal. Shoot on sight."

Megatron stalked over to Ironhide. "You will obey me, or you'll be the first to die."

Ironhide bowed his head. "Yes, my lord."

Satisfied, Megatron left. Ironhide waited for his opportunity to escape and warn Optimus, frustrated at every turn by mechs eager to bring him down. He understood Ratchet's position better now.


	3. Chapter 3

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Division

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: a bit of angst.

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><p>Ironhide waited, his systems silent, as the mech on guard duty paced out his appointed round. The problem Megatron was going to have trying to keep Ironhide was that he had trained every mech in the forces and knew their weaknesses.<p>

There! The guardsmech paused and Ironhide took his chance, slipping through the gap and vanishing into the darkness of the wildlands.

Division, Megatron's stated objective, was not going to stop Ironhide from doing what was right and warning Optimus about Megatron's plans, especially the one targeting anyone wearing the Autobot symbol.

He wasn't going to let Ratchet be murdered.


	4. Chapter 4

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Destruction

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: angst

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><p>Ironhide stared in horror at the smouldering remnants of the Senatorial building before starting to move forward.<p>

A hand clapped on his shoulder. "He's not in there," Optimus said.

Ironhide looked back at his Prime, uncomprehending.

"Ratchet. He's not there. He tendered his resignation from the Council last orn and went to get reformatted and have new programming installed."

Ironhide didn't bother to deny his relief, given his reaction to the destruction.

"Do you know where he is?"

Optimus pointed to the triage area, "He's right over there."

A chartreuse medic barked orders and Ironhide smiled. Ratchet was, indeed, safe.


	5. Chapter 5

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: Anger

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: growling and angst

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><p>Ratchet growled at the black mech that brought him yet another mangled form to fix. He recognized so many from his days with the Council and it made him angry that the very mechs that had worked so hard to stay this destruction were the first to fall prey to it.<p>

The hardest part was triage, letting those who would not make it die so he could attempt to save others. He grieved for every lost spark and worked to save as many as possible.

"It's done, Ratchet," said the black mech, "you've done all you can."

"It's never done."


	6. Chapter 6

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: Sadness

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: angst

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><p>Ratchet surveyed the wreckage of his former life with sadness and grief.<p>

The large black mech that had been so helpful came over to him and said, "It isn't safe here, Ratchet. We need to move out."

Ratchet nodded and turned away, surprised when the black mech placed himself at Ratchet's shoulder just like a bodyguard.

"I am capable of taking care of myself!" Ratchet snapped.

"Of course you are, but what does it hurt to let someone else take care of you?" The mech offered his hand. "I'm Ironhide."

Ratchet took his hand. "Nice to know your name finally."


	7. Chapter 7

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Transform

Rating: G

Expected in this one: little bit of fluff

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><p>Ratchet had made the decision when he saw how unreasonable Megatron was becoming to transform himself from the lacy design of a political bot to the massively reinforced form of a medical bot. He was glad, when the first attack came, that he could cannibalize his own parts to save his former friends and compatriots and that he'd made the decision before the attack, so he didn't feel helpless.<p>

But he never thought that part of the transformation he underwent would lead him to the mech that would be his other half, the ferocity to match his dedication and devotion.


	8. Chapter 8

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Machine

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: A tiny bit of angsting from Ratchet.

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><p>Ironhide was waiting for him when he finished speaking with the Prime.<p>

Ratchet stopped and looked at him, asking, "Yes?"

Ironhide shrugged. "Thought you'd like some company."

Ratchet really looked at him. The mech was attractive, obviously a warrior born and built, and while some might look at him as a war machine, Ratchet saw below the surface to the protective mech under the armor. He was attractive to Ratchet's optics, but Ratchet was also afraid of him. This mech, this warrior, had the power to hurt him, right down to his spark, in a way the escalating war didn't.


	9. Chapter 9

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Survival

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: growling

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><p>"Let's go," Ironhide growled as Ratchet finished his meeting with the Prime.<p>

"Go where?" asked Ratchet.

"Weapons training," answered Ironhide.

"I don't need weapons training, I'm a medic!" Ratchet snapped back.

Ironhide pushed him against the wall and Ratchet felt his systems heat up.

"If you want to survive, if you want your patients to survive, you _do_ need weapons training," Ironhide growled. "Now let's go."

Subsiding, Ratchet followed along behind, grumbling.

Ironhide ignored his grumbling, focused instead on making sure that, in addition to the tools to save other lives, Ratchet had the tools to save his own life.


	10. Chapter 10

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Weapon

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: nothing, really

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><p>Weapons training wasn't a success. Ironhide pulled back and <em>thought<em> about who he was dealing with before coming up with a solution.

He designed a weapon just for Ratchet. It was a set of saw blades, which Ratchet could use singly as a medic, or he could deploy two, rotating in opposite directions, as a weapon. As a final step, Ironhide designed the blades so they could be released when spinning, turning them into a devastating and uncontrollable weapon.

Ratchet loved his new armament and was much more amenable to self-defense training after that, which was a relief to Ironhide.


	11. Chapter 11

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Attack

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: violence

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><p>Ratchet used his saws for surgery and took good care of them, cleaning them frequently. He enjoyed the saws as a tool. However, the first time he was out in the field, on the fringes of a battle, working on a mech that had a decent chance of survival, he was not expecting to be attacked.<p>

All the training he'd undergone fell into place, and Ratchet didn't even think about what he was doing. He simply powered up the other blade, swung his arm, and watched as the Decepticon's arm fell off before he hit the 'con with his fist.


	12. Chapter 12

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: Relief

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: fluff of the Ironhide variety

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><p>When Ironhide checked on Ratchet after that battle, he wasn't expecting to see a pile of off-lined Decepticons near Ratchet's work, but he wasn't surprised, either.<p>

Ratchet could take care of himself, and Ironhide was relieved to see that his training had an effect.

"Quit standing there and go to the supply depot and bring me back more armament cabling and mid-range energon tubing; I'm out," Ratchet continued his methodic work.

Ironhide did as he was bid, hurrying to get the supplies, more and more relieved with every passing moment. Not only had he defended himself, he was still focused.


	13. Chapter 13

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Battle

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: angst

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><p>The next battle, Ironhide ceased to worry about Ratchet – the medic could hold his own against the 'cons and still heal mechs. So Ironhide turned his attention to the Decepticon attack, trying to figure out what they were doing and why.<p>

Their goal became clear when they slowly and methodically isolated him, then hit him with a neural neutralizer.

He was the target, the goal to capture him and strip his processor, hack his knowledge for Shockwave's benefit and give the Decepticons the edge in weapons creation. Ironhide grimly began setting in motion his fail safes, ready to destroy himself.


	14. Chapter 14

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Freedom

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: more angst

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><p>Optimus was full of sorrow at Ironhide's capture. Ratchet was incoherent with rage. Prowl was matter-of-fact.<p>

"We do not have the resources to spare to rescue Ironhide," was the stated reason.

Ratchet didn't care. He recruited Jazz and they went in to rescue Ironhide by themselves. There was no way Ratchet was going to let their best defensive fighter be taken away, and right after he was taken was the best time to get him back; they wouldn't have their defenses up, they wouldn't be expecting a rescue mission so quickly after they'd taken him. Ironhide deserved his freedom, too.


	15. Chapter 15

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Technology

Rating: PG-13

Expected in this one: angst and growling

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><p>Ratchet stood in the doorway, horrified. Ironhide was stripped of his guns, hanging in chains, cables hooked directly into his processor. He shook himself free of his paralysis and traced the cabling, finding the source in a console that was hacking into Ironhide's processor. His firewalls were holding, but it was only a matter of time.<p>

Recognizing Shockwave's distinctive coding, Ratchet smiled grimly. Jazz stood guard as Ratchet stopped the hack and turned it back onto its creator before setting Ironhide free from the cables and chains.

"Get his guns," Ratchet said, hoisting Ironhide onto his shoulder, "We're getting out."


	16. Chapter 16

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: Worry

Rating: PG

Expected in this one: angst and mild cursing

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><p>Ratchet worked frantically on Ironhide, trying to get him back on-line so he could stop his fail safes, which were set to purge his entire system and destroy his processor in far too short a time for Ratchet's mental well-being. He hadn't disobeyed orders and rescued Ironhide only to have him suicide. Finally, Ironhide's optics shuttered on, and the mech stared at Ratchet.<p>

"Ratchet?"

"Yes, it's me. Turn off those Primus-damned fail safes right now!"

Ironhide shuttered his optics as he obeyed, Ratchet finally reading the fail safes going off and breathed away his worry. Rescue hadn't been in vain.


	17. Chapter 17 Interlude There Is No Escape

Title: There is no escape

Prompt: Ironhide/Megatron - you are mine at spark

A/N: This prompt bit me the first time it was posted, and I've been slowly pecking away at it. It came from The Winding Road series and was prompted by Battle and Technology, specifically. It is an interlude, so it is not a drabble at all.

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><p>Megatron cast a careful optic toward his Air Commander. Starscream nodded back at him, waiting for the perfect moment to spring their trap and capture the mech that so annoyed Megatron.<p>

There! The mech had swung away from the main forces, focusing his weapons on the biggest threat, exactly as Starscream had planned. Other warriors sidled around, slowly forcing him away from the main forces of the Autobots.

He became aware of the trap too late. Megatron smiled to himself at the other's expected reaction, his guns roaring as he tried to force his way out of the trap. Finally, Starscream fired the neural neutralizer, which shocked all of Ironhide's systems and allowed a massive Decepticon to wrap his arms around Ironhide and immobilize him.

Megatron stepped forward himself and commanded,

"STOP!"

Instantly the warrior did so, ceasing his struggles and surprising the other warriors trying to subdue him.

Megatron said, "Ironhide, drop your weapons."

The catches released and the two heavy cannons thudded to the ground.

"Bring him to me," Megatron commanded, watching as the large Decepticon did so. Megatron grinned as the mech stood before him, Ironhide struggling within his grasp.

"I see that you've forgotten to disable your command protocols, Ironhide. Too bad for you, since I can use them against you. That was always your flaw – you don't think far enough ahead to see such problems. Well, now we can strip your processor and cast your worthless shell into the Pit. Shockwave is looking forward to becoming…intimate with you," Megatron said, "Bring his guns, bind him, move out!"

Starscream sidled up to him as Ironhide was taken away, "It was a good plan, my lord Megatron."

"Yes, Starscream, you did well. Now go with them. The Autobots will not take long to realize he's gone," Megatron looked over the battlefield and gave a command to the mech in charge of his forces, giving them leave to disengage and withdraw now that the primary objective of this battle had been achieved.

The Autobots were caught unaware as the Decepticons withdrew quickly, leaving Optimus Prime's forces wondering what had happened, until Ratchet gave a roar of anger and grief.

"They've taken Ironhide!"

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><p>Ironhide was bound tightly and thrown into one of the huge Decepticons that transformed into a massive shuttle. Other Decepticons crowded in, too, and the big transport lifted off, skimming the surface of the planet until he could drop into one of the canyons marring the surface of Cybertron. Ironhide grimly cataloged their route even as he was enabling his fail safes. His cannons were on a different transport, he'd noticed, and there were thirty other mechs in here with him, all ready and able to shoot him if he twitched in the wrong direction.<p>

Starscream smirked at him.

Ironhide snarled back. Starscream laughed aloud and returned his attention to the open portal, scanning the skies for the few Autobot fliers that might try to pursue them.

Ironhide turned his attention inward, using some of the tricks Jazz had taught everyone about partitioning his processor and strengthening his firewalls. He had already been working on this process under Jazz's tutelage, and was determined that Shockwave would not get anything from him. He tucked all the recent battle plans the Autobots had been discussing into another partitioned segment, then overwrote them with nonsense codes. If he survived this, he could always upload the plans again, and if he didn't, Shockwave wouldn't know what the Autobots were planning.

He was surprised when the transport mech settled down. His optics had plotted their course as he'd turned his attention to his processor, and he hastily reviewed the path they'd followed.

They were on the outskirts of Kolkular. Ironhide was marched down the ramp and into the street, heading for the fortress where he knew Shockwave waited.

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><p>Shockwave didn't react when the warrior was brought to him, instead motioning toward a set of restraints on a table.<p>

"Get up on that table, Ironhide, and allow yourself to be locked in."

Ironhide was forced to obey by his programming, though his movements were jerky as he fought against his own coding. All too soon, however, he was held by the bands of the restraints and Shockwave was pulling data cables from a console nearby and clicking them into his ports, which he was also forced to open.

Megatron came in sometime during the process and the smile on his face grew wider and more satisfied as the process went on.

When Shockwave had all the cables connected to Ironhide, he turned and bowed respectfully to Megatron.

"My lord Megatron, I am ready to start the process of stripping Ironhide's processor."

"Very well, Shockwave, you may begin."

Shockwave turned to his console and began running a program. Ironhide flinched as it began battering at his firewalls, but rather than continue to fight to keep those firewalls up, he kept with his strategy of putting up more firewalls behind the others and partitioning knowledge, breaking key events into segments and putting the segments in different partitions. His on-the-fly coding was not as elegant as Jazz's, but it was adequate.

He barely heard Shockwave tell Megatron, "My lord, I will not be able to reprogram him as a Decepticon without completely removing his personality core."

"Do it," Megatron commanded, "this mech's spark is mine, and I will not allow that upstart to keep one of the best warriors ever built. He will be mine."

"Yes, my lord," Shockwave murmured as Megatron stalked away, his heavy treads ringing the floors and walls. Shockwave glanced at the data on the screen of the console, then left the room.

A breem later, a Decepticon came in and dropped Ironhide's cannons in the corner of the room. Ironhide noted this, but continued to struggle against the programs breaking his firewalls.

He was surprised when a sleek silver frame slid through the door. Through the haze of pain and fury, he wondered why his processor had conjured Jazz into the room, but he knew he wasn't having ghost images when Ratchet stalked in after Jazz and moved directly to the console.

Less than a breem later, Ratchet was hauling Ironhide out of the fortress as Jazz alternately struggled to carry Ironhide's cannons and help Ratchet get Ironhide out of the fortress undetected. Ironhide was unable to assist them, his motor functions being disabled by the viruses and programs Shockwave had loosed on his systems, his processor a haze.

"Ironhide! Pay attention!" Ratchet was yelling at him again. He wished the medic wouldn't yell so loud, because it hurt and it would bring the Decepticons. Unable to decipher what Ratchet was saying, he sank back into his processor, still buffering his firewalls.

Ratchet was hooked into a medical access port at the back of Ironhide's neck, frantically trying to stop the progress of Shockwave's viruses and get Ironhide's attention long enough for him to turn off the fail safes that would wipe his processor. He finally found the kernel of coding that was one of the main viruses and slammed into it, breaking the coding and stopping the attack on Ironhide's firewalls. With that done, he quietly called again to get Ironhide's attention.

"Ironhide!"

"Quit yelling, medic. You'll bring the Decepticons down on us," grumbled Ironhide, trying to turn away from him.

Ratchet growled at him, "Ironhide!"

"Ratchet?"

"Yes, it's me. Turn off those fail safes!"

Bewildered, Ironhide turned his attention inward again. His firewalls were no longer being hacked, but his fail safes, which would wipe his processor and personality cores, were still counting down. He sent the code to stop them, then reset the time.

A sound of relief came from the medic holding him. "Good, that's good. Now, let's get those cannons back on and get out of here."

Ironhide vaguely felt his cannons being held close to their attachment points and sent the commands to pull his guns back into their mounts. That done, he allowed the darkness threatening him to overwhelm him as he shut down.

Ratchet started a defrag program, then detached himself and hoisted Ironhide over his shoulder.

"Alright, Jazz, lead the way."

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><p>End of interlude<p> 


	18. Chapter 18

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Slavery

Expected in this one: a little bit of fluff.

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><p>After his rescue and subsequent scolding from Optimus, Ironhide sought out Ratchet to make a request of him.<p>

"I want you to modify my programming," Ironhide said to Ratchet, "you've shown me that I can change myself, I don't need to be a slave to what I was."

Ratchet looked at him askance, "What do you want changed?"

"I am forced to obey orders from my superiors. Shockwave and Megatron are still on my command list. I need to be able to choose who I obey," Ironhide said.

"Yes, you do," Ratchet agreed, "get over here and let's get started."


	19. Chapter 19

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: Happiness

Expected in this one: angsty fluff

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><p>After Ironhide's capture and the reconfiguration of his programming, he and Ratchet started to spend more time together voluntarily. Ratchet still shied away from anything that resembled intimacy, but Ironhide was patient and understanding, simply wanting to spend time in Ratchet's company, even if they were merely in the same room working on different projects.<p>

Over time, Ironhide's patient presence won him a spot in Ratchet's world and he took what measure of joy he could from their closeness. He only dreamed of happiness, never of complete wholeness, and kept his dreams in a highly guarded segment of his processor.


	20. Chapter 20

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Robot

Expected in this one: angsting on Ratchet's part.

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><p>When Optimus sent Ironhide on a long mission, Ratchet found himself moving through his life like a robot. He thought about why for a long time and finally figured something out.<p>

He missed Ironhide.

He missed the mech's quiet presence, his ability to simply be a support to Ratchet, his quiet and unfailing adoration, given away by the look in his optics whenever he thought Ratchet wasn't actually looking at him.

He missed Ironhide's friendship, the jokes they shared together, the looks of understanding at a situation that frustrated them similarly, the quiet companionship at the end of the day.


	21. Chapter 21

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Surrender

Expected in this one: fluffy fluff

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><p>When Ironhide came back, Ratchet tried not to let on how pleased he was to see him, but Ironhide's optics lit up anyway. The mech restrained his reaction for the nonce, but as soon as the shift was over and they could, they retreated to Ratchet's quarters to spend time with each other.<p>

The only acknowledgement given to Ratchet's emotional surrender was Ironhide cupping Ratchet's cheek and gazing down into his optics with a nod.

That was enough. Volumes were spoken in that one exchange of glances and they went on as they had been before, together in quiet companionship.


	22. Chapter 22

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Defend

Expected in this one: violence

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><p>In the next battle, Ironhide didn't even think when he saw a Decepticon targeting the medics. He stepped in, ready to defend not only Ratchet, but all the mechs that were working hard to save sparks. He wasn't expecting the sniper's shot, but his automatic defense systems locked onto the charge and swung him around to take the hit.<p>

The last thing he remembered was targeting the sniper with both cannons as he absorbed the shot, his optics shorting out, his processor overwhelmed by the charge that tried to decimate circuits and fry everything in his head, his last thought…


	23. Chapter 23

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: Hate

Expected in this one: angst and growling.

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><p>Ratchet's reaction to Ironhide's injury was a surge of hatred that surprised him. How dare someone target the mech before he'd had a chance to explore what Ironhide meant to him? He set his hatred aside, focusing on saving the mech that had fallen defending him and his compatriots. Ironhide's last shots had blown the 'Con and his hidey-hole to very small pieces, so they were safer.<p>

Sparks still danced over Ironhide's helm, excess charge from the shot unable to destroy anything more, and Ratchet worked frantically to stabilize Ironhide, worried about the side effects from having his helm stoved in.


	24. Chapter 24

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Injury

Expected in this one: fluff

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><p>Ironhide recovered, but would always have a scar. They didn't have the materials to fix his helm and Ironhide didn't care. They could fix his optic, but he told the medics he didn't have to look at himself, so repairing the surficial damage didn't matter.<p>

Besides he felt, though he didn't say it aloud, that having a scar from such an injury would remind Ratchet every time he saw it that Ironhide had not only put his spark out for the medic, but his very life, and such reminders, as long as they weren't emphasized, could work minor emotional miracles.


	25. Chapter 25

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: Hurt

Expected in this one: A little bit of angst.

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><p>After Ironhide was hurt, Ratchet's attitude toward him softened, but only in private. In public, they continued to snipe at each other, Ironhide implying that Ratchet couldn't defend himself, while Ratchet kept poking at Ironhide that he didn't know how to get out of the way of weapons.<p>

In private, Ratchet began talking to Ironhide about his day, about the frustrations of being a medic in a war, and Ironhide learned to listen. It was the best therapy he could have found for Ratchet, who needed to be able to share his burdens with someone that wouldn't judge his actions.


	26. Chapter 26

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Unity

Expected in this one: The fluffiest of fluff.

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><p>When a new recruit mentioned to Ratchet that his mate was a hard-aft on the firing range, Ratchet almost found himself refuting the assumption. Almost, but something stopped him.<p>

Perhaps it was the quiet support Ironhide always offered him, or the unspoken love between them, or the seamless way they worked together after all this time, but Ironhide had worked his way into Ratchet's life so deeply that he couldn't imagine a life without the weapons specialist in it.

Somewhere along their journey together, they had become a unit, two mechs living one life, neither one far from the other.


	27. Chapter 27

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Emotion Prompt: Love

Expected in this one: fluff and a bit of angst

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><p>Ironhide finally made his move, one quiet off-duty cycle. He looked over at Ratchet and said, "I can't imagine my life without you. Wanna bond?"<p>

Ratchet was caught by surprise and Ironhide could feel his spark stutter in his chest as he waited for Ratchet's reply. Ratchet looked at him for a long time, his optics carefully examining Ironhide's face.

"Sure. When?"

Flabbergasted, Ironhide responded with practical poise, "Why wait?"

Ratchet shrugged and stood, offering his hand to Ironhide, who rose without Ratchet's aid and gazed deeply into the medic's optics. They were unflinching, although Ironhide could see some fear.


	28. Chapter 28

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Loss

Expected in this one: implications, fluff and angst

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><p>Ironhide clasped Ratchet's hand and they moved toward the single berth tucked in a corner of the room. Ironhide could feel Ratchet's tension at this enormous step forward. They'd never even interfaced and now they were thinking of taking the ultimate step forward. Ironhide almost pulled away in fear, but his fear of losing Ratchet was even stronger than his fear of this enormous step.<p>

Once at the berth, Ratchet turned into Ironhide's arms and clung and suddenly Ironhide found it easy to be strong, to lay Ratchet down and join him, to cherish this mech he'd come to love.


	29. Chapter 29

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Spark

Expected in this one: definite implications and fluff

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><p>The first glimpse of Ratchet's spark was enough for Ironhide to want to lose himself in his mate forever, until the stars burned out and worlds died. Letting his spark out to touch Ratchet's was a revelation, a meeting of like minds connecting in the most intimate way possible.<p>

That they were already friends and deeply entwined within each other's lives only made this easier, erasing barriers and knitting two lives into one simply another step along their path, giving them a platform to base the rest of their lives upon and a constant companion and beloved all at once.


	30. Chapter 30

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: War Prompt: Victory

Expected in this one: fluff

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><p>Bonding did not change anything, really. Ratchet still fought hard for every spark he could save, while Ironhide did his best to relieve Decepticons of their sparks every chance he got.<p>

What had changed was the rhythm of their lives, each now entwined within the other. Ironhide thought it his greatest victory when Ratchet leaned on him through their bond for a brief moment in the middle of a difficult procedure and took strength from Ironhide to carry him through what had to be done.

Ironhide didn't mind the mental touch and was pleased that Ratchet trusted him that much.


	31. Chapter 31

Series Title: The Winding Road Table: Cybertron Prompt: Metal

Expected in this one: fluff

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><p>Ironhide and Ratchet continued in their comfortable relationship. For Optimus and his team, the biggest change was that there was often a clang of metal as the two played around now that Ratchet could tell exactly how hurt Ironhide was. The roughhousing would invariably lead to Jazz telling them to 'take it to the berth!' and Ratchet would slap the lieutenant before heading back to his duties.<p>

Ironhide reveled in knowing that he was the only mech, anywhere, that really knew Ratchet, knew the deeply held beliefs that drove him to change himself and continue the fight as a medic.

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><p>This is the last prompt. Thank you for reading!<p> 


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